Noxious odor calls temporary halt to Greyhound bus trip

Greyhound Lines Inc.
Greyhound Lines Inc.

A noxious odor on a Greyhound bus arriving at the Texarkana station on Friday afternoon caused four people to receive oxygen treatments and a new bus to be called in to continue the journey, officials said.

Texarkana, Ark., Fire Department received a call about 4:23 p.m. regarding the smell on the bus travelling from Dallas.

"It was a strong, acrid order inside the bus. The bus company said the septic system had just been emptied before getting on the highway and coming to Texarkana," said Jeff Tanner, Texarkana, Ark., battalion chief.

Greyhound was not immediately available for comment late Friday.

Tanner said it could be a sewage problem or an unidentified chemical.

Passengers reported detecting the odor about halfway between Dallas and Texarkana with the smell intensifying when the bus reached Texarkana, he said.

Greyhound opted to lock the bus up and check for the source of the odor, Tanner said.

Four passengers received oxygen and were released at the scene. One patient went to the hospital for what is believed to be medical concerns regarding a procedure he had some time before the bus trip, Tanner said.

TAFD Fire Chief David Fletcher said the smell was contained to the bus and posed no public safety hazard.

Another bus was dispatched to pick up the customers so the trip could continue, he said.

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